stars in the rain
by UndesirableFortuneCookies
Summary: A small encounter on New Year's Eve between two unlikely children. [Gruvia] [Modern AU]


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fairy Tail, I am merely borrowing Hiro Mashima's characters for now.

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 **[STARS IN THE RAIN]**

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 _Age 8_

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"What's that?" if his mother were to hear how blunt he's being to the small blue-hair girl in front, he'd receive a stern talk for his behaviour, especially to someone he's never met. However, he made a big deal of swooping his small eyes around the large community-filled hall to see her occupied before asking the growing question he wanted answering for the past ten minutes.

"What's what?"

"That ghost-like thing hanging from your neck – it looks stupid." He reiterates over the din.

"Juvia thinks you're the one who's being stupid if you don't know what this is – it's a teru teru bozu." The young girl replies petulantly, then she juts her lower lip out in thought, perhaps deciding whether to explain the handcrafted item, "it helps Juvia to stop the rain."

"Uh… by wearing it?" a young Gray is confused.

"Yes, if you bother to look outside it's…" her voice falters as her eyes turn to the window behind the party food table on the opposite side of the room to where they're at, "… raining."

Ocean eyes widen in shock and without warning, a smaller hand to Gray's grabs his wrist, and he's unwillingly being dragged to said window by a gleeful bundle of blueness. He passes his mother who's chatting to their neighbour with glasses of red wine in their hands, and a surprised look crosses her features as she observes the young girl and then their interlinked limbs. Gray gives a _mum-I-kinda-need-you-now!_ signal, to which instead, a wink accompanied by a knowing smile is thrown at him.

He's turning beet-red at his mother's reaction – a mixture of childhood betrayal and absolute humiliation from not rescuing him _cos to hell with knights saving princesses, he wants his mother to save her young knight from the clutches of the over eager princess!_ – to make matters worse, one father Fullbuster is approaching where his mother stands; the implications of their will-be encounter tingles his skin in a sharp, icy chill – despite his age, he knows for sure this piece of news will be passed on from wife-to-husband in a heartbeat that their little Gray is interacting with the other youngsters – but _a girl_! – that'll be the topic of discussion for years to come in their household.

Gray shudders in trepidation, and more-or-less ends up dragging him and the blue-weirdo to their destination to escape parental watchful eyes. He misses the girl's even more widening grin at the fully clasped hand he has in hers.

"We're here," he announces grumpily, quickly dropping the girl's hand from his when reaching the window. He takes a glance outside, seeing nothing but flickering streetlamps awake in the otherwise dark street. _What was so special about this window anyway?_ "Why'd you bring me over here, too? You're a big girl, you could have come here yourself."

"Juvia wants – she wants… what's your name, sorry?"

"It's Gray... I'm guessing you're Juvia?" It's not even a hazarding guess.

Juvia ignores how reluctant Gray was at giving his name to continuing, "Well, _Juvia_ wants _Gray_ to see the night sky with her!"

That honestly… didn't sound inviting to Gray, if not bizarre of a request, although he didn't question it as the enthusiastic youngster carried on, "Whenever it's New Years with papa and mama, it's always raining – that's why she always makes and wears _this!_ " she takes a great deal of showing her teru teru bozu to him, a little _too closely_ to his face, "- so it's surprising to Juvia when it's not this year! It's always gloomy when it's this time of year for us, but I'm thankful it's gone!"

"Um, okay." Gray didn't really know what else to say. He averts his eyes away from her grinning blue ones, still standing precariously close, only half a head smaller in stature than him. He feels a growing hotness in his chest all a sudden, and he believes it's not due to the hideous Rudolph jumper his mother forced on before the event. "Y-You can step away now, I've seen enough of the teru teru- whatever."

Juvia nods in response and steps back (to which Gray gives an internal sigh of relief from the escaped proximity) going back to the window, her arms now resting on the low window sill. She rests her head on her right arm, and the tight azure curls at the ends of her hair bounce at the action, her eyes still holding that beaming joy it emits as they train out into the freezing, brisk night.

"Juvia thanks Gray-sama for stealing the rain."

His head snaps in her direction; the sentence only a dreamy mumble by the young girl, but he heard every word of it. " _I stole the what now?_ " he doesn't even want to start with that honorific.

"The rain." As if that explained it wonderfully. "Come over and see."

Curiosity getting the better of Gray, forgetting how absurd the girl acted and her weird pattern of speech, he trudges over. He ensures there's ample space between them before, too, resting his arms comfortably on the window sill, two small fists on either side of his cheeks.

"Dunno what I'm seeing." He grumbles, more focused on the wisps of cold, smoky air trailing from his mouth on each breath than the outside environment.

"You're not even looking at it," she giggles. "Look to the sky, silly!"

He does.

A black canvas greets the pair only tampered by the splattering silver paint of stars illuminating the moonless skyline. A few murky ink-spilled cotton clouds would briefly dance past and soon disappear out of their vision, other than that, he thinks he understands why Juvia yearns for this yearly – it's a comforting claustrophobia.

"It's… _amazing_."

"Juvia told you so!"

" _10!_ "

The young boy whips his eyes back into the bustling, occupied room and sees with inclusion of his parents, chanting from the bundle of bodies. It seems most party goers have congregated around the opposite corner, craning their necks up at the battered television hanging off the wall dangerously, blaring out the New Year Eve's celebrations in the capital, Crocus.

" _9!_ "

Turning back to Juvia, her attention's still out the window unbeknownst to the sudden onset of activity.

" _8!_ "

"Juvia thinks we should do this more often!"

" _7!_ "

"Uh… sure?" His brain is berating his tongue for stringing the reply out swiftly without having much thought about the underlying implications of his agreement _and_ his sudden change in choice of hanging around with this girl.

" _6!_ "

However, he didn't have the heart in him to decline from how happy she looked when asking.

" _5!_ "

Even if she was _unusual_ – it's a _good unusual_. He _knows_ he's had an eventful night because he'd typically have a boring New Year's if he didn't chance upon the girl.

" _4!_ "

An elated giggle escapes her breaking his reverie and he sees sea hair rhythmically bouncing to the innocent sound; she's beaming at him, eyes sparkling, "Juvia cannot wait!"

" _3!_ "

"Then, uh, I'll see you around." Gray mutters, face feeling too warm for comfort and he quickly leaves her side to meander his way through the throng of increasingly excited people.

" _2!_ "

He doesn't look back.

" _1!_ "

" _HAPPY NEW YEAR!_ " a grand blend of yells, roars, mispronounced slurs and whoops of delight are screamed by the party goers within the vicinity.

Unfortunately, he forgets kissing is involved, too, and that makes his face redder.

He grimaces at the neighbouring teenage couple sucking face, hands wandering in places he doesn't want to acknowledge and if it's possible, wash his eyes out with soap even if he does politely avert his vision elsewhere. Out of Gray's peripheral, his parents plant a chaste kiss on each other, laughter and alcohol mixing in the thick air.

Even if he won't admit it out loud, he much prefers the view of a young girl with azure locks for hair and eyes that shine with utmost optimism he's left behind.

In his young mind, she's still transfixed on the stars amid the rainless night above their community hall, their village, their part of Fiore.

If anything, unlike the girl, he prefers to see the stars in the rain.

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 **A/N:** 2017 is right around the corner where I'm at but to others already celebrating - **_HAPPY NEW YEAAAAR_** _ **!**_ \- and hope you guys enjoyed this oneshot on Gruvia! I've planned 4 more chapters of this where it explores them gradually getting older on each New Year's Eve but I dunno whether I should leave this as it is or turn it into a multichap story? Any thoughts? Also, please review if you have the time and constructive criticism is more than welcome! :D

 **~FortuneCookies**


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